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UNITED STATES PATENT @rrren.

JOSEPH It. FRANCE, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

CELLONITE OR NlTRO-CELLULQSFZ ARTECLE.

EsPECIFICATIQNx'orming part of Letters Patent No. 328,846, dated October20,1885.

Application filed July 28, ices.

T 0 all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J osnrn It. Fnanon, a citizen oftheUnited States,residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Oellonite or Nitro-OclluloseArticles, of which the following is a specification.

It has long been known that nitrocellulose compounds, under variousnamessuch as parkesine, partsine, cellonite, celluloid, zylonite,pyroxyline, &c.-have been used in various arts for ornamental or usefulpurposes, or for both combined. In all. such uses, with the exception ofartificial palates and similar uses, when only a thin sheet molded intoproper form was to be used, the intro-cellulose compound was applied andutilized as a coating or covering simply for some body forming the baseand having the contour of the finished article. Hitherto such bases havealways been of material subject to change with varying thermal orhygrometric variations. For instance, wooden cores or bosses have beenused in very many articles, the ornamental and preservative finishtherefor being given by a coating of a nitrocellulose compound. In suchcases the wooden core, no matter, apparently, how thoroughly seasoned,would still shrink, loosening the coating therefrom or causing suchcoating to crack and open in seams, this being due to the fact that woodis always subject to and acted upon by hygrometric changes. In othercases metallic cores or bases have been used, finished, ornamented, orprotected by a nitrocellulose covering. Such metallic cores are alwayssubject to molecular changes, to change of size and contour by thermalvariations, tending at one time to expand and crack or scam the coating,at another to shrink therefrom. These defects are especiallyobjectionable in view of the tendency of the material itselfthenitro-cellulose composition-to warp when in use. This warping tendencyrenders the compound difficultto satisfactorily work, and for thearticles, as hitherto made, to retain the originally given and desiredshapes. If, then, in

view of these facts, a wooden core, or core of any other materialaffected by hygrometric changes, apt to shrink or swell as the atmosphere is damper or dryer, or a core affected Serial No. 172,890. (Nomodel.)

by thermal changes, as a metal core, expanding or contracting withvariations of temperature, is used, the changes in such core give fullplay, afford ample opportunity for the warping tendency of thenitro-cellulose covering to be exercised, with the result that suchcovering is finally loosened from the core or is cracked and seamedthereupon.

In view of these facts, therefore, my invention consistsin an articlehaving. a protective or ornamental covering of a nitro-cellulosecompound upon a base, or upon a base composed largely and for the mostpart of some material not susceptible in any appreciable degree toordinary thermal or hygrometrie changes, a base which is non-shrinkablefor covering or coating with the nitrocellulose compound. For thispurpose I have found shellac and equivalent gums a very suitablematerial. Shellac, though capable of liquefaction, and in such state ofbeing cast or molded into any desired shape, is nonshrinkable. At thesame time it is not infiuenced by any thermal and hygrometric changeswithin the ordinary limits of such changes.

In carrying my invention into effect, there fore, I make a base of anysuitable or desired form for the use to which the finished article is tobe applied, of shellac or similar gum or substance having similarqualities, and then apply thereto a coating of a nitrocellulosecompound, colored or ornamented as taste may dictate. This coating maybe made in tubes, which,after being softened byheat and pulled upon thecore or base, is placed in proper dies, which flows the cellonite aroundthe core, closing up all end openings. It may also be made in the formof sheets applied thereto, the seams and openings being then closed andsmoothed by proper dies, or in any other practicable method; or, again,this finishing coating of the nitro-eellulose composition may be made bydeposition by the insertion of the base in a solution of thenitrocellulose composition until the proper or desired thickness hasbeen deposited thereon and the solvent allowed to evaporate, leaving ahard-finished coating or skin of the compound upon the article.

If the article is to possess greater tensile strength than would beconferred by such base, as in the case of swoi'dgrips, knife and forkhandles,whip-handles, rings, &c., a stiffeningpiece of metal, as a wireor thin strip, may be placed therein, it being so protected by this basethat it is not readily affected by ordinary thermal or hygrometricchanges.

The invention thus set forth is typified in a few of the uses to whichit is applicable in the drawings,wherein Figures 1 to 6 represent, inFig.1 in perspective, and the remainder in section, its application tosuch uses. It is of course understood that its uses are not confinedtothe example here given, but may be almost indefinitely extended; thatthese examples orillustrations are merely typical, and given with theobject of rendering the invention more readily and clearly understood.

In Fig. 1 is represented the grip of a sword, the reference-numeral 2indicating a base or body of shellac or material having similarproperties, which is to be passed around or fitted upon the tang of theblade within the guard, such tang fitting in the longitudinalaperture 1. Upon the body or base is made the coating 3, ofnitrocellulose compound, colored and ornamented as desired.

In Fig. 2 is shown a knife or fork handle, such body or base heredesignated, 5, being pressed, formed, or fastened upon the tang 4, andcovered with the nitrocellulose coating, covering, or skin 6.

In Fig. 3 are shown the parts of a pistol or gun grip or stock, 7 and 9being the bodies or bases formed as explained and covered withnitrocellulose 8 and 10, the usual screws, 11, for fastening them to theiron or metal frame work, passing therethrough.

In Fig. 4 is shown a truss-pad, in which for increased rigidity andbearing force, a small or thin metal plate, 18, may be used, upon whichis fastened, formed, or cast a body, 12, of appropriate shape andcontour, over which is the coating 14 of nitrocellulose.

In Fig. 5 is shown a ring for use in harness or any other connections inwhich such rings may be desirable. It is composed,primarily, of a bodyor base, 17, as described, with a coating or skin, 18, ofnitrocellulose. If desired for increased strength, a wire or strip, 19,of metal, whalebone, or other suitable material may be embedded withinthe base or body 17.

In Fig. 6 is shown a part of a whip, cane,or umbrellastock, 22 being thebase or body thereof with the nitrocellulose coating 23,the end orhandle thereof being finished in any suitable or desired design orconfiguration. In such cases also,for increased strength and rigidity, awire, rod, or strip, 24, of any suitable material,may be embedded in thebody or base. It will be noted that such wire, rod, or strip is in Fig.1 the tang of the blade, extending between the ends of the guard; inFig. 2 it is the tang 4; in Fig. 4 it is the plate, while in Figs. 5 and6 the wire, rod, or strip is 19 or 24. In all these cases the amount ofthe wire, rod, or strip, whether of metal, rattan, wood, or whalebone,or other material, is of exceedingly small bulk relatively to the caseorbody, and is so covered,secured,and protected therein as not to besubject to ordinary variations in thermal and hygrometric conditions.

The coverings or coatings of nitrocellulose material may, as beforeexplained, be applied in any of the well-known waysfor instance, as atube softened by heat, applied upon the bodies 2 5 &c., the open end orends being closed and smoothed by suitable rollers or dies, or by sheetsof the coating placed therearound, and the seams and openings closed andfinished by dies or rollers; or it may be applied by deposition bydipping the base in a solution of the nitrocellulose material.

Thus made an article is produced in which the interior body or base isof cheap yet sufficently strong material, not affected by such thermaland hygrometric changes as it is likely to be subjected to, while thebody or base not being subjected to such changes, thedanger of thecoating, warping, or cracking is obviated.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. As anew articleof manufacture,an article having a base or body of a non-shrinkablematerial not affected by ordinary thermal or hygrometric changes and acoating of nitrocellulose compound, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a core, base, orbody made of a shellac orequivalent composition and a coating of a plastic material, such as anitrocellulose compound, substantially as do scribed.

3. The combination of acorc, base, or body made of a shellac orequivalent composition, a stiffening or fastening strip, rod, or wire,and a coating of a plastic material, such as a nitrocellulose compound,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH R. FRANCE.

Witnesses:

M. J. DE WITT, J OHN TREHAVEN.

